Kate and I will be running the Richmond marathon in September for Mind. 

This is an extremely important cause to me due to my own mental health struggles and those of people close to me. I’ve struggled with my mental health for a few years now but recently it has been more prevalent than ever. I was unsure of where to look for the support I needed and it took me a while to find it - at which point I needed to be hospitalised for 6 weeks in January to start recovery. I want to be open about my journey in order to help others know they’re not alone and where to look for support - something Mind is striving to do.

I also lost a friend last September to suicide which truly opened my eyes to the pain that is caused to the person struggling but also to their friends and family. Olly was well known for his friendly face in the gym but also for his tank tops and odd socks - whatever the weather. He taught me how to push through physical pain to reach new goals and taught me patience and resilience. I know if he was here he would probably have done the marathon 5 times quicker than me and very possibly in flip flops and a tank top. 

Mental health impacts everyone whether it is your own or someone close to you struggling. Any donations would be greatly appreciated so that Mind can help even more people in getting the help they deserve xx

Honor